WOW..huge thank you to all of you. I shall digest what you've written along with the videos I got from the Library; Discoveries Spain the Mediterranean, Andalusia, Discoveries Spain the Southwest. Last night I read Small charming towns in Spain Posted by: Pedro on May 14, 01, very helpful. My husband and I have lots to read tonight and for the next few days.
Yorkshire asked if we are staying in old town Cadiz, I think it will be in the tiny town of Bolonia
Hostal La Hormiga Voladora on the beach.
READING is the event for now. Thank you for the straight talk!

The Hormiga Voldaora (The Flying/Magic Ant) looks just excellent! Peace and quiet, great beach, some quite spectacular Roman ruins (the remains of a fish-salting factory, temples and baths) in one end of the beach and several good restaurants. Some 10km from Tarifa and quite a distance from Cadiz (about 50-60km at least).

Here in an article about the "Best beaches on the Costa de la Luz": http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/be...a-Bolonia.html

About Tarifa: http://www.andalucia.com/tarifa/home.htm
http://wikitravel.org/en/Tarifa

Kimhe, 60km is not much for us to drive and hunt for uniqueness..being in the center of the "city" is unusually not our style and Bolonia seems dittoed with sites to interest us. Doing off track traveling is extremely ease in France and Italy..Spain seems boggling hence all my rambling about HELP from all of you to learn WHICH direction and for how long in Spain. As of today I feel slightly more focused on the itineray minus the commitment of number of nights in each destination. I did not book the "Flying/Magic Ant" yet, we do not know how many days + in which town/city to stay, based upon where we get the car. Consensus please..train to Sevilla (day trip to Cordoba by car) or train to Cordoba (1 night, get car then drive to Sevilla) stay 3 nights. Yorkshire, are you intimating we do not need a car while in Sevilla? We will not overlook Ubeda & Baeza. After Sevilla off to the tiny village of Bolonia for 3 (4 nights depending on how sunburned my husband chooses to get), then somewhere in or near Malaga (how long?) then Granada (how long?) then train back to Madrid 1 night and fly home on 22 June. WHEW seems like so many stops yet I know it will be fulfilling. Comments..re-directions..alternate ideas? Nothing is in place except Madrid.

"Consensus please..train to Sevilla (day trip to Cordoba by car) or train to Cordoba (1 night, get car then drive to Sevilla) stay 3 nights"

Personally I'd spend 4 nights in Sevilla and visit Cordoba along the way from Madrid. Although I really like Cordoba I dislike 1-nighters and would prefer to spend more time in a base city. You really don't need a car in Sevilla - in fact it will be a burden with parking, navigating, etc.... So, you could do Madrid to Cordoba by train (store luggage in lockers at bus station across the street), then Cordoba to Sevilla by train.

I'd budget 2 nights in Granada.

Malaga is a great city to visit and is often overlooked by tourists flocking to the nearby resort cities.

Priego de Cordoba seems like it would be right up your alley. I love this little village and the entire area just covered in moutains of olive trees.

On the car, to me it is best to structure the trip so that you are not driving into and out of a city (especially Sevilla) with a car (i.e., day trips). So, once you settle on where you want to go, you can choose a departure city and stay in more rural areas until you are ready to deposit the car in the next city. Budget your time so that when you are in a city, you are enjoying the city and don't need to deal with traffic or parking. Does that make sense? Andalucia is well suited for this because you have a loop of cities (Sevilla, Cadiz, Ronda, Malaga, Granada) with many small villages in between them. I suggest making some maps and doodling on them once you settle on the locations that appeal the most to you.

I dislike one night stays also, but between 5 days in Madrid and 3 days in Sevilla, I think an overnight in Cordoba would be okay. I have not been to Granada, but most people (here anyway) say 2 nights. Malaga I suggest one night. Then I suggest you pick 2 rural bases where you will have the car and can explore. Ronda is a large city, but it has a very relaxed feel and is convenient to explore with a car. For the second place, I suggest looking for something near Cadiz--the place you have already mentioned might be perfect.

2 hotel recommendations for Madrid and outside of Ronda

We had a 2 week trip to Spain April-May.

We stayed at Room Mate Alicia in Madrid. We were 2 couples in our late 50"s and found the hotel to be very nice, and the location was perfect, as we could just walk to the Prado (it is free each evening)

we went by train to Sevilla, then rented a car for our time in Andalucia, dropping off the car in Granada. From Granada we flew to Barcelona.

We stayed at a hotel on the outskirts of Ronda that I would definitely recommend
Hotel Molino Del Puente. It is a small hotel, and feels more like a B&B. The owners are expats from Britain, and could not have been nicer or more helpful. The food is also very good in their restaurant.

We had fun exploring some of the Pueblos Blancos and Ronda is wonderful. We stayed there 3 nights, but easily with a trip of your length, you could have stayed there longer.

Spain is wonderful, I would love to go back.

Though we had made our flight reservations 6 months before we left, we only booked most of our our hotels about 1-3 months before we left, because like you, we could not figure out WHERE we wanted to go. I booked some hotels and paradors early in the planning phase, but then canceled them as the trip took on more definite form.

amy

Thank you , Amy,
We are sorting out all the fabulous offerings and will look forward to set bookings in place in the next two weeks at the most. With all our other trips, meandering and staying in unique places was so uncomplicated that this trip is such an effort. We stayed 6-7 nights in each location and drenched ourselves in culture, people, and local food ..planning Spain seems oddly difficult. I think it is because we are not very familiar with all the notable landmarks that normally perk an urgency to visit. The books and videos we have will tweak our focus.

5 nights in Madrid-train day trip Toledo + Segovia Booked RoomMate Laura
rent a car and drive North Castilla y Leon (Valladolid/Burgos area) 3 nights (31 May-3 June)
Bilbao 2 nights (3 June-5 June) Biscay fishing villages Bermeo/Lekeitio 3 nights(5 June-8 June)
San Sebastian 4 nights (8 June-12 June)
Pamplona stop + find a town 1/2 way to Catalonia region 1 nights (12 June-13 June)
Girona to settle in Cadaqués/ Roses or (www.wolpy.com/places/3116285) 5 nights (13 June-18 June)
Barcelona 4 nights (18 June 22 June) Maybe book RoomMate Emma
8AM flight back to Madrid to catch 10AM to Los Angeles 22 June

Some of our picks for eating:http://www.theworlds50best.com/award...nners/el-bulli
www.elbulli.com/menu.php?lang=en
http://www.theworlds50best.com/award...er-de-can-roca
www.cellercanroca.com/PORTADA/intro_2.htm
http://www.theworlds50best.com/award...-winners/arzak
http://www.theworlds50best.com/award...in-berasategui
www.asadoretxebarri.com/
www.canfabes.com/en/carta-i-menu/menu

What would you change...I know this itinerary is completely different from where it started yet my husband and I feel it fits our personality not to be elbow to elbow with so many holiday travelers. IDEAS- SUGGESTIONS - RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACCOMMADATIONS ??

oooohh. that 8 am flight back to madrid to catch a 10 am flight to LAX.. best to sleep in madrid on last flight from bcn at airport.

You have left NO room for error.

i think el bulli closed months ago.

That closure would be sad since it just won a place in the Pellegrino list of 50 best restaurants.

I forgot to write...the flight is at 7AM
I hope that leaves us enough time to get to Air France to board our 10:15 flight..whew
I posted a new "topic" entitled New Itinerary in order to save you scrolling time. Thank you very much for all your information. I truly welcome more of your thoughts on the construction of our trip.

El Bulli has been voted the nr. 1 restaurant in the world five times the past nine years (never been lower than nr. 3 I think), and Ferran Adrìa recently was voted the chef of the decade.
http://www.theworlds50best.com/award...nners/el-bulli

Will close in 2012-2013 to use the restaurant as a research lab and reopen in 2014.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/dining/27adria.html

My Spain travel experience is limited to Madrid and surrounding cities. Were I to have a month in Spain and had never been, based on the research I've done and where I'd prefer to go, I'd probably do something akin to this:

Madrid--6 or 7 days
Day trip to El Escorial from Madrid--1 day
Day trip to Segovia from Madrid--1 day
Day trip to Aranjuez from Madrid--1 day
Day trip to Avila from Madrid--1 day
Toledo--at least a 1 day trip from Madrid, maybe 2 days
Seville--3 or 4 days
Cordoba--1 day
Granada--2 or 3 days
Barcelona--6 or 7 days
Day trip to Montserrat from Barcelona--1 day
Day trip to Figueras from Barcelona--1 day
Day trip to Sitges from Barcelona--1 day

Assuming the upper number in all cases, that's 31 days.

Just a suggestion, of course -- your choices may vary.

Curious, you may want to take a look at my blog as a local, on the Basque Country, www.blogseitb.us/basquetourism, it may help with the Basque leg of the trip.

maybe i saw they stopped taking reservations.. (el bulli).. whatever. Hope you can get in if it is on your list! Let us know!

Thanks Lincasanova for the query..I just took the pressure off our minds and paid the $300+ re-booking fee and now we are out bound Barcelona Paris Los Angeles and without fear of missing the connection. Originally we wanted to fly into Madrid and out from Barcelona, nope it did not work out with frequent flier miles .. would have been 300,000 miles each. We are are set no more concern.

Kwoo, we got a reply from Playa Sol. The rate is 172€ ($242 today) does that sound right? We are eager to book as I think it is such a charming area it might get sold out.

Now for car rental out from Madrid. From whom have you rented while in Spain? We are staying at RoomMate Laura which is at Travesía de Trujillos 3, 28013 steps from Teatro Real: ½ min. (25 m.) and Convent of the Descalzas Reales. Where would the best location to pick up a car?

mikelg, thanks for your blog..very informative.
Has anyone gotten an e-mail reservation sent successfully to El Bulli restaurant in Roses. I keep getting it bounced back...

I'm quite sure El Bulli is full-booked through 2012.

But if you go to San Sebastián, you should also have your eyes open for three Michelin star Akelarre. Unbeatable location on the top of Monte Igueldo with views over the coastline. http://www.akelarre.net/web/english/base.htm

And in San Sebastián you MUST go for the famous pintxos, can be quite as much a food experience as going to the best restaurants, much cheaper, and in my opinion, much more fun: http://www.todopintxos.com/home/home.php?lang=en

Among the myriad of great restaurants in town, "traditional-inventive" Urola has been one of my favourites since the late 80's:
http://www.restauranteurola.com/english/index.html

Akelarre is on the short list of anniversary celebration restaurants.

Where to stay for San Sebastian is now a tough one..beach locations are seemingly booked. Any suggestions? I have sign off now..work is calling.

I very much doubt that any hotels in San Sebastián is already full-booked for May 2011. Get in touch directly if some of the different websites indicate no vacancy.

Maria Cristina is old world luxury and the finest hotel in town. Right by the Urumea river, close to the sea and in the middle of everything: http://www.starwoodhotels.com/luxury...?propertyID=86

Hotel Londres is another great old world option, right on the La Concha beach: http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/lond...33c&lang=en-gb

Pension Alamena is a great value option, 50 metres from the La Concha beach. http://www.hostalalemana.com/ingles/index.html

You should also consider Hotel Parma, in the outskirts of the Parte vieja/Old town and right by the sea: http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/parm...Fc8-3godKDnFPQ

or charming and tranquil Hotel Chomín, 50 metres from the Ondarreta beach and a 20 mins walk along the La Concha beach promenade to the centre and the Old town. Have stayed here several times.
http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/san-...chomin.en.html